Improvement in war-rockets



J. J. B. .WALBAGEL 'Rocket Patented Nov. 6, 1866.

'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J.l J. B. WALBAeH, oF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN WAR-RGCKETS.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, JOHN J. B. WALBAGH, of the city and county ofBaltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented a new and ImprovedWar-Rocket; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full andexact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, in which likeletters indicate like parts in the several igures.

The nature of my invention consists in coup structing a war-rocket insuch manner as to secure a long and correct and direct ilight,(having'wings,) and to insure an explosion of the magazine uponstriking.

' the main body D, or rather its lower end, D',

by two arms, b. The main body D is of cylindrical form, charged, asusual, with rocketcomposition, i, well known to pyrotechnists, ordnanceor artillery men. D' is made sepa-Y rate for convenience, so as to'screw on to the lower end of D after it has been filled withcomposition. 'Ihe wings A A are fitted in any suitable manner on themain body D D', so that they can be put on or taken o' at pleasure, butremain in position during the flight of the rocket.

On the top of the rocket, or main body D, I secure a tube or cylinder,E. This is intended as a guide, to keep it in a direct line, on thetheory that the air rushing through it with great velocity will effectthis purpose. The tube E can be unshipped at pleasure, in like manner asthe wings A A.

In the front end of main body D, I secure (say, screw) a magazine orshell, F. Through the loading-hole of this shell, after being properlycharged, I introduce a tube, f, pointed or not, and having fulminate aat its lower end, or the fulminate composition may be secured to the endof the plunger or needle h. In

either case the lower end of tube f is perforated, so that the tire fromthe fulminate can communicate with the charge g in the shell F.

0n the top of tube f, I screw a second one, f'. Through this, as alsothrough f, the plunger or needle h passes. This needle has severallongitudinal 'springs s on it to keep it in its normal position. On thetopvof this needle, or near it, is fastened a button, d. Above or infront of d, a disk, d', is placed, iittiug over the needle and having anarm, e, passing backward and under a guide, q, attached to the shell. ehas an elbow, e. The disk d' is held in place by being clamped between(l and another diskor button, r, at the extreme front end, which screwsdown upon it. In the position shown the needle is stationary, and cannotbe pushed down the tube fand an explosion take place. A

At the top-of the compositional in the rocket there is a partition, j,and there may be a small hole or holes in any part of it, so that theflame may penetrate the space m between the partition and the shell.There should be, in such cases, also a small hole in the bottom oftheshell, and some powder between the shell and the partition, to explodethe shell when the rocketeomposition burns out.

The operation of tiring the rocket is as follows: A suitable guide-pieceor half cylindrical tube is prepared, one that the balancepiece C willlit into. At the start this is iutended to be at the front or upper endof the screw-tail B,'preserving a proper equilibrium. The tube f' isscrewed or run backward, leaving ,a space between it and the disk d, andleaving room for a backward play of the needle.

The rocket-con1position may now be fired, and the rocket will start onits flight, its length of flight being assisted by the wings A A, andits direction more accurately secured bythe current of air passingthrough tube E. Upon striking, at the end of its ilight, upon its noseor extreme front end, the needle will be driven down or backward, ignitethe fulminate, and explode the shell. Should it strike on its undersidethe elbow e will effect the same result. I.

During the iiight of the rocket, as the composition burns out, the bodyor balancingpiece C will be moving backward on screwkeep the front endof the rocket up.l The eurrentofair or the flame from the burning fcomposition actingl on the Wings or flanges c,

will produce the backward movement of C.

` Having thus described my invention, what l I claim as new, and desireto secure -by Letters Patent, is-

\ 1.f The self-adjusting balancing-weight C, in

combination with the screw-tail B and main body D D', constructed,arranged, and ,operi ating in the manner substantially as shown anddescribed, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of shell F, tubes fj", Y

needle h, and arm e, constructed, arranged, and operatlng 1n the manneras shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

J. J. B. VVALBACH.

Witnesses:

S. S. FAHNESTOCK, JOHN S. HoLINGsHEAD.

